What Investors Look For with Startmate's Ben Simai
What do investors actually look for?
Every founder has heard "we're not a fit right now." Almost none have heard why.
Ben Simai, Head of Investments at Startmate, walks through how VC investment decisions actually get made - using real companies you already know, and the framework Startmate uses on every deal.
When
📆 Tuesday 8 September 2026, 5:30 – 6:30pm AEST
📍 Live on Zoom · free to attend
What we'll cover
Real-world investment examples – what early-stage Uber and Airbnb looked like on paper, and why investors backed them
The Spike framework – what Startmate looks for in a founder and a business, and how we assess it
How to get investment from Startmate – what actually makes the best Accelerator applications stand out
Who it's for
Founders building venture-scalable startups in Australia and New Zealand, whether you're raising now or working out whether you should.
Ask Ben directly
The last stretch is open Q&A. Bring the question you'd want to ask an investor if there were no wrong answers – what a good vs weak pitch looks like from the other side of the table, whether your traction is enough yet. Ben answers live.
Showing up counts
The Startmate team notes who's in the room. Turning up, asking good questions and staying engaged across Open House is part of how we get to know founders before applications close – and it's taken into account when we're selecting for the Accelerator.
Who it's for
Founders building venture-scalable startups in Australia and New Zealand, whether you're raising now or working out whether you should.
Ready to go further?
Startmate invests $120k into startups twice a year. Applications for the Accelerator are open now.
→ Apply for the Accelerator